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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26716471">Delicate</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Narnvaeron/pseuds/Narnvaeron'>Narnvaeron</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, Reader-Insert, Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 07:41:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,069</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26716471</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Narnvaeron/pseuds/Narnvaeron</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Kíli has always been so delicate around you, it’s hard to believe what he’s capable of on the battlefield.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kíli (Tolkien)/Reader, Kíli (Tolkien)/You</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Delicate</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kíli has always been the gentlest person you have ever met.</p><p>He was kind and loving, respecting you and listening to your opinions, he was protective and ready to fight even the most dangerous, horrifying creatures just to make sure that you, his brother and uncle were safe. He was brave and you admired him for that, just like you felt impressed by his fighting skills. But what was the most important is that, contrary to the harmful stereotypes repeated over and over by different races, he truly was delicate.</p><p>That is why it was so hard for you to witness him splitting the orc’s skull open with nothing but the shield and the mere strength of his bare arms.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>You were marching through the meadow showered with the various kinds of enormous flowers, causing the whole landscape to look as if someone scattered the colours all over the vivid green grass, the fairy paysage reaching the very horizon. Fluffy bees buzzing in the air were harmless, flying past you with no intention to sting, covered in the flowers’ powder, just like the butterflies with their wings designed in the most creative ways you could ever imagine. The sky above you was crystal clear, the sun delightfully warming your skin and the birds chirping in the distance—the perfect scenery of serenity and peace, the true embodiment of the beauty of nature.</p><p>“What are you thinking about?” Kíli approached you with the wide smile on the face, hands behind the back and the happy strut from time to time.</p><p>“Nothing much,” you hummed. “Just enjoying the moment.”</p><p>“Indeed, it is rather nice when there is no army of wargs chasing after you,” he chuckled.</p><p>You nodded and before you could say anything else, Kíli reached toward you vigorously and almost hit you in the face with the bouquet of various field flowers.</p><p>“There,” he stated, trying to sound as serious as possible, although it was hard for him to keep the composure and pretend to be more mature when he was looking at your lovely face, now painted with utter surprise. “Not so pretty flowers for the prettiest lady.”</p><p>“T–thank you,” you accepted the gift and smelled the flowers. “I actually think it is quite pretty.”</p><p>“That is a relief then,” he sighed theatrically. “If it was not, I would have to run all the way down there, to that tree, because, you see, the biggest poppies are growing just under it.”</p><p>“You really do not have to do that,” you assured.</p><p>“Are you sure? Because if you would want me to…”</p><p>“No, no, I am serious!” you repeated, now slightly concerned about the wink he gave you, knowing perfectly well what was that supposed to mean. “Those are perfect, Kíli, no!”</p><p>But he was running already, jumping over the larger rocks lying on the ground in between the grasses. You heard some comments from the other members of The Company about how was this kid nothing like his uncle Thorin and how the love was really making him even bigger oaf than he already was, and you could not help but smile at the sight of him disappearing from your sight on the meadow. It was heartwarming to see him being so cheerful whenever he was around you, always knowing how to talk to you in a way you never wanted it to stop, the time spent with him always being the most comfortable and joyful.</p><p>Soon, he was back with, indeed, the most enormous poppies you have ever seen and just when he was about to give them to you, he suddenly stopped and eyed the flower crown in your hands, made from the bouquet he brought you earlier.</p><p>“There,” you repeated his words and placed it on top of his head, noticing how the blue bells were perfectly contrasting on his dark hair. “Not so gold and certainly not real crown for the very precious and real prince.”</p><p>The blush which appeared on his cheeks was almost the same colour as the poppies in his hand.</p><p>“Thank you,” he answered honestly, readjusting the crown to make sure it won’t fall off. Then, he cleared his throat. “I am honoured to receive such a present from my beloved princess. I will wear it like the most cherished treasure until my last days—or something of this sort.” He giggled. “I mean it, thank you.”</p><p>“And I thank you for the royal reds, my prince,” you proclaimed while accepting the poppies. “May it be the sign of our glory or whatever.”</p><p>“Shall we seal the deal with the royal kiss, my princess?”</p><p>“Yes, we shall, my prince.”</p><p>“I will kick both of your peasants’ asses if you do not hurry up!” Dwalin’s voice echoed in the distance before you truly managed to kiss and it was enough to make you run after The Company, which was now almost reaching the forest—for this whole time, Kíli’s hand never letting go of yours.</p><p>Just as he promised, he kept the crown and insisted on wearing it even during the sleep. Naturally, the flowers began to wither and the next day they were nowhere near as good looking as before, which did not stop him from carrying it in his bag. You noticed how gentle he was with the colourful petals and it surprised you how similar it was to the way he was treating you—his touch on your hands delicate and careful, never crossing the border of what could be uncomfortable for you, appreciating you in the ways you loved the most.</p><p>The way Kíli was running his fingers through your hair never failed to make you purr, and sometimes you wondered how could he be such a skilled warrior as well. The braids he did were usually thin and he knew at least three ways to make them, working with his fingers precisely and never missing any details, wanting to make it as close to perfection as possible.</p><p>You have never seen his hands trembling, not when he was aiming the arrow, nor while putting on the bead.</p><p>“I love you so much I do not want to sleep because it means that I will have to miss whole hours without looking at you,” he confessed once, when you were lying next to him in a camp. “It is stupid, isn’t it?”</p><p>The rest of The Company seemed to be deep in sleep, but you were both observing the night sky, recognizing some on the constellations and the round, bright moon.</p><p>“I do not think this is stupid in the slightest.” You looked at him. “The fitting word would be ‘adorable’”.</p><p>“I can assure you that I am nowhere near adorable if I do not get enough sleep, my dear.”</p><p>“Oh, I have seen that,” you snorted. “Mr. Grumpy Face.”</p><p>“See? That is why it is not good at all.”</p><p>“Would it make you fall asleep quicker if I moved somewhere else then?”</p><p>“No way!” Kíli sat violently and pointed a finger at you. “Do not even think about it.”</p><p>“Why?” you giggled. “Am I not such a big distraction all of a sudden?”</p><p>“You are the biggest distraction but it does not mean that I do not want you here with me.” He moved closer and covered you with his blanket, placing his cheek on your chest. “Much better.”</p><p>Rolling your eyes, you stroked his hair, finding few tiny leaves there from the time when you were walking through the forest. The feeling of his weight on you was as good as the warmth of his body, providing you much more heat than the dying fire in the middle of the camp. You kissed the top of his head and he murmured something incoherent, his hand embracing your waist and breath becoming steady and rhythmical.</p><p>Now, Kíli truly could fall asleep quickly if he only wanted to. And resting in your arms, feeling your scent and hearing the soft beating of your heart was like the greatest lullaby, the one he would never get bored of.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>You were not expecting to encounter a group of orcs in the middle of the night. You were not prepared to fight, you were exhausted after the whole day of march and losing the track and yet you found yourself in the situation you never wanted to be in. Darkness around you, the flickering torches and burning arrows were not making it easier to spot the enemy in between the monumental trees, on the contrary, the more heated the battle was becoming, the more terrified and lost you felt. You knew how to fight and defense yourself, you were no amateur, even though you were no comparison to the skilled Dwarves, nevertheless the shouted orders and shrieks of slaughtered orcs turned your blood cold.</p><p>You could die here; once any of the enemies would find your temporary hideout behind the rock, you would be dead. That vision was always somewhere in the back of your head, reminding you how dangerous the whole quest was, but now, when it became real, you felt as if it drained the latest drops of courage from you. Feeling helpless was certainly not the way you wanted to feel while dying but it was so hard to move, to jump out of the safe place and fight for your life.</p><p>Wiping off the wet trails left by the unwelcomed tears, you grabbed firmly your weapon. There was no way you were just going to sit there and wait, not when all the rest was risking it all for the sake of The Company.</p><p>For Kíli.</p><p>You might be scared but you were no coward and with that thought in mind you stood up and quickly eyed your surroundings, checking for the rest of your friends and for the orcs to aim to.</p><p>Heavy sword sliced the air and hit the tree near you so suddenly, you jumped aside in the last second and maybe even screamed, not expected to be spotted so fast, nor attacked from behind. The adrenaline in your veins was not helpful at all, silencing your rational thoughts and replacing them with the simple, primitive command which would allow you to stay alive—run.</p><p>But you did not want to run, you wanted to fight, but you did not want to die either and you stood there for what seemed like the whole eternity, until the orc managed to get his sword back from the tree trunk and swift at you once again.</p><p>The arrow pierced his throat with such a force that the fletches reached the open wound and changed colour from bright yellow to the black as the blood gushed from his ripped neck over his bare torso and shoulder. Involuntarily, the orc reached for his throat to stop the bleeding, dropping his sword in a meantime but before he managed to do it, the second one landed deep in his thick skull. You watched him wobble, the loathsome, gurgling sound leaving past his lips and an open hole in the neck, the dark blood dirtying the ground in front of your feet and the head of the other arrow almost piercing his head from the inside, right above the left eye.</p><p>He was dead before he fell down on the mossy earth and all you could to was to stare at him pointlessly for who knows how long. What snapped you back to reality, however, was the hand grabbing your wrist and pulling you after, the familiar voice waking your senses up.</p><p>“Come on, we need to go,” Kíli ordered, now sounding nowhere as kind and sweet as he always did when he was talking to you. He was harsh and rough, his grip a little bit too tight, his pace fast and confident as he held the bow in the other hand, ready to kill.</p><p>“Kíli…?” you muttered so quietly, that he could not hear you in the whole cacophony of the battle. The screams were so loud in your head, the image of the dead orc still vivid in your memory and it felt as if Kíli’s hand was the only thing keeping you sane.</p><p>“It is alright,” he said, peeking over his shoulder to make sure that you are still with him, body and mind. “It will be over soon but you need to hide.”</p><p>The expression on his face was completely different, too, the brows furrowed, the darkness in his eyes malevolent, his jaw clenched tightly, black blood staining his temple and his whole body language giving a very clear sign that he was ready to attack in any moment—to slaughter whoever dared to even try hurting you or any other member of The Company.</p><p>You have never seen him like this before and it was downright terrifying.</p><p>It was you who spotted the next enemy first this time, and you shouted at Kíli to watch out before any of you would get killed. Kíli was agile and skilled with his bow, that is why it took him no longer than a blink of an eye to grab the last arrow from the quiver and shoot.</p><p>And miss for barely an inch.</p><p>The orc lost his balance, harmed but not killed and it gave you enough time to separate from Kíli to not distract nor slow him down. Still, he had no more arrows so he drew the heavy sword and weighted it in the hand, the challenging smile on his lips proved that he was not afraid and certainly not going to give up.</p><p>Before you could intervene, the two swords clashed against each other and you realized that this fight was far above your fighting skills, their movements quick and inhumanly strong, measured perfectly to kill—and yet, Kíli was the first one to make a mistake and eventually lose his weapon. You watched in terror as the blade landed too far from his reach and just when you gritted your teeth, ready to jump in the middle of them just to make sure that Kíli will get untouched out of this, you heard him desperately shout at you.</p><p>“Run, for Mahal’s sake, get away from there!”</p><p>But you did not. Instead, you positioned your weapon, now that the orc noticed your presence nearby and turned its head toward you. Kíli cursed multiple times in Khuzdûl language, torn between rushing to save you with bare fists and running to the opposite direction to get his sword back.</p><p>You have always admired his courage and bravery. You were impressed by how his heart seemed to hold no fear, at least until now—until he was weaponless and looking at that filthy creature coming to kill you in front of him. That is when you glimpsed the very real and paralyzing dread in his teary eyes and expression and it was the most miserable view you have ever experienced.</p><p>No matter how much time you would have, it was impossible for you to reach the vulnerable places in the orc’s body, shielded with the thick armour and his height way too intimidating and out of your reach. Nevertheless, you had to try or at least to give Kíli enough time to collect his sword back so he could defend himself. What you could not predict, however, was how he was not going to go and get it, instead deciding to protect you with anything he could lay his hands upon. In this case—on a heavy shield carried by the orc.</p><p>Kíli managed to surprise him with that move and therefore whipped it from his hand, instantly hiding behind it when the blow fell upon him. It did not make him lose his balance, even though the impact was surely strong enough to kill you at once. The fierce rage was fueling enough to make him attack an orc with nothing but the shield, aiming mostly for the knees so he could drag him down on the ground level—which he eventually did, breaking the knee with a crushing sound and causing the orc to fall down with a pained groan.</p><p>You have not heard anything happening around you, when you saw Kíli walking up to the orc, lifting the shield and crashing it down his head. Once, twice, three times; with every next hit the skull breaking further and opening, the shriek dying suddenly. There was warm, black blood splattered on Kíli’s chin and gloved hands, there was blinding fury driving him and there was no longer an enemy to fight, when the last blow fell upon the battered corpse.</p><p>Only then, you noticed how heavy Kíli was breathing, how much strength did the act cost him, how much he was afraid of losing you in such a cruel way.</p><p>How his hands were trembling.</p><p>He looked at you warily and you did not say a word, staring at him blankly, wondering whether you wanted to embrace him or run away.</p><p>Until then, he was always so delicate, after all.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Placing the damp fabric against the sunkissed skin, you were slowly treating Kíli’s wounds, cleaning them first and then applying the athelas leaves on them and bandaging, hoping that the herbs would soothe the pain and help him heal quicker. Thankfully, none of them were deep enough to need stitches, not on Kíli, nor anybody else from The Company, since the whole group managed to win the battle almost unscratched. Right now, sitting by the campfire with the bowl of cold, river water on your knees, your mind was completely absent, thoughts wandering freely wherever they wanted to and your blank stare did not notice the careful gaze of Kíli, who was constantly observing your face, looking for any emotions which would help him guess how did you truly feel.</p><p>He could not find the proper words to start the conversation, for the first time in his life completely speechless, when the image of your terrified expression seemed to haunt his memory. He has never wanted to scare you, Mahal, all he was trying to do was to protect both of you and he got so lost in the spirit of the battle and his own rage that he did not think about the consequences. How could he possibly forget that you were different, that you were human, a delicate creature, moreover not used to participating in wars and not prepared to be found in situations like that one?</p><p>If he could only change the time, he would think it thoroughly beforehand, but he held no such power and the guilt was crashing heavily upon his shoulders. You were scared of him now and the thought itself made him want to cry.</p><p>“I am sorry…” he whispered finally, drawing your attention back to him and you had to blink few times to remember where you were.</p><p>Kíli smiled at you gently, apologizing, but you did not return the gesture.</p><p>“What are you sorry for?” you asked instead, genuinely not understanding. Your tone was quiet but calm, the dread leaving you some time ago, before you even managed to set the camp.</p><p>“For making you see that…” he paused and gestured vaguely with his free hand—the other was treated by you, a single cut through his arm not looking particularly threatening but you were stubborn to take care of it, too. “I did not think that you… I just did not think at all. I had to protect you, this is all that mattered. I am sorry.”</p><p>You placed the fabric in the bowl and your hesitant gaze met his, the dark eyes once again being warm and soft, so full of love you wondered how could he be the same person from barely few hours ago. Kíli seemed hurt, authentically regretting putting you in such a situation and it was heartbreaking to see him in that state.</p><p>“You have nothing to be sorry about, Kíli,” you said. “Actually, it was me who should be sorry. You were all risking your life and all I could do was to–“ your voice cracked and he immediately hushed you.</p><p>“You were afraid,” he interrupted. “Everyone gets afraid sometimes and there is nothing wrong about it. I was afraid, too.” He lowered his gaze, now looking at your hands rested on the bowl and wishing that he could hold them. “I was afraid that I may lose you. And I was angry, I was so furious that I might not be able to prevent that…”</p><p>“But you did, Kíli.” Hearing his name spoken by you made him feel relieved, because if he was worried that it might not sound the same as before, he just found out that he was wrong. “You saved me and I will be forever thankful for that.”</p><p>He did not answer for some time and you wondered whether you upset him with something you said. When he looked at you again, though, you noticed how his eyes were becoming reddened, his lip wobbling slightly. The hopelessness in his next words hurt you more than any battle wound ever could.</p><p>“You are afraid of me.”</p><p>It sounded like a judgment, the verdict that he could no longer have any future with you, not after what happened.</p><p>“Everything you have ever heard about us,” he continued. “It was not true. We are not greedy and crude and brutal and I have just managed to ruin the whole picture for you. You, among all the people. You, the one I love the most.”</p><p>Kíli’s voice was barely a whisper now, a tear which rolled down his cheek and stubble leaving the clear trail in the dark, dried blood which he still did not wash off.</p><p>“I love you so much,” he confessed. “I would never, ever even think about hurting you.”</p><p>You reached to him without hesitation and cupped his face before placing a soft kiss on his pouted lips. He tasted the same as before, the smell of air and forest in his hair, and his hands gently wandering to your face, caressing it with his thumbs in a loving manner.</p><p>“I know,” you admitted when your lips parted but you still did not let go of him, the tips of your noses touching and his eyes appearing as even bigger and brighter than ever before. “I know you would not. I was scared and confused but please, do not think that anything like that could ever change my feelings for you. I love you way too much, Kíli, and I do not think I can stop now.”</p><p>He smiled when you wiped another tear from his eyelashes, before it would fall down.</p><p>“You have no idea how much do you mean to me, my dear. Never think of yourself as anything less than perfect.”</p><p>You kissed him again, quick and sweet but he did not let you go, holding you close to himself as if you were going to disappear in any second. Soon, his lips were on your cheeks and jaw and neck, when he was trying to kiss the sadness away from your face. His hands ghosted over your sides, caressing your arms and reaching to the hair, feeling the thin braid under his fingers and the small bead at the end of it.</p><p>There was no other place in the whole Middle Earth where you would be feeling as safe as in his arms, with your head buried in the crook of his neck, his hair tickling your nose and the strong embrace holding you against his chest. It was the place you could call home and always come back to it no matter where on earth would you currently be.</p><p>“I love you, my dear,” Kíli whispered and kissed the top of your head. “It feels like I have loved you long before I have even met you.”</p><p>He felt you smile against his skin and then kiss his neck. You adored it when he was so tender, so open about his emotions and the overwhelming amount of love he was feeling for you, the one he never even tried to hold back nor fight with. His heart belonged to you completely and Mahal knew that yours were all his also.</p><p>After all, you knew that Kíli will carry it with a great delicacy. He always did.</p>
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